Sometimes the best inventions come from a simple question that no one has asked before. The question that Bolefloor asked was: Why are floorboards straight? What this innovative company realized is that it was only technological limitations that forced floorboards to remain straight. It often ends up wasting quite a bit of wood, and isn't a natural shape by any means.

Bolefloors uses a type of optimization technology and customized CAD/CAM developments to allow all floors to be created with shapes that echo the natural form of a tree. These programs evaluate imperfections near the edges of each piece, so that each board is beautiful, durable, and fits together.

Fontenay offers a truly original collection of flooring that appeals to wine aficionados everywhere. Part of their Vintage Barrel Collection, these floors are made of wine barrels that are carefully collected and then milled into three separate materials for three separate collections. The Cooperage, above, is made from the heads of authentic and used wine barrels. Each and every piece of this flooring is completely unique — bearing the marks of its wear and tear from years of use. Genuine stamps and markings from the barrels are all incorporated into a Cooperage floor.

The Wine Infusion flooring is made from wood that is sourced from the inside of a wine barrel. So each piece of wood is naturally stained by the wine that it once held. Deep reds, browns, purples, and golds all meld together in a beautifully distinct hardwood.

The Stave, also part of the Vintage Barrel Collection, is made from the outer sides of the barrel. Markings from the hoops around the barrel are visible on each piece of wood, which create a worn patina with a great sense of character.

Mafi flooring has a visionary, almost avant-garde style that is unlike anything else out there. While this brand has numerous treatments, this style — specifically in the Coral Oak Vulcano — is a favorite of mine. Like all of the wood used in Mafi flooring, it is built in a three-layer construction and treated with natural oil. However, this style is enhanced with artistically integrated and treated cracks. It comes in several different woods with various color options for the cracks — including gold and yellow. It really draws the eye to the floor without taking away from the natural beauty of the wood.

Another piece of art from Mafi floors, the Carving Kids II is a great example of modern day wood carving. Mafi engraves their creativity-inspiring pattern on each three-layered piece of wood, to give your child's room a flavor of its own. The best part? You won't have to worry about scratching the floor, or the occasional colored pencil mishap. At the same time, it's subtle in a way that doesn't make it overwhelming or unsophisticated. Style-wise, it might not be for everyone, but it's certainly different!

So, this may not technically be wood, but it's something that I've never seen in the United States. Believe it or not, this unique flooring is made entirely out of peach pits! It sounds weird, but when South Africa was covered in orchards with a steady supply of peach pits being produced post-harvest, people had to start getting creative. European settlers in the Cape first came up with this idea, when they cleverly noticed how these durable little guys would make a great flooring material.

Now, Stone Fruit Floors packs the peach pits by hand, and seals them with glue, resin and urethane. Sharp edges are ground off, making it more comfortable to walk on with bare feet. Stone Fruit Floors has even created a flattened style (featured on the stairs in the photo above) that integrates the peach pits without the "cobbled" effect.